Half an hour later, the main force gathered at the tunnel leading to the 59th Floor.
Walking at the front of the expedition party, Finn suddenly stopped in his tracks, causing everyone behind him to halt instinctively.
"Finn, what's wrong?"
Riveria and Gareth asked in unison.
"Something's not right." Finn bit his thumb, his expression worried, "According to the Guild's records, the 59th Floor should be a cold current layer, with temperatures similar to Floor 58, but..."
"But you can't feel any cold air at the entrance, right?" Gareth tightened his grip on his giant axe.
Finn's words had made him uneasy.
Whenever danger lurked, this pallum's thumb would throb uncontrollably — without fail!
And now was no exception.
Even Riveria's expression had turned grave.
But Adam spoke up, "We have to push forward no matter what, don't we? Otherwise, why would we be on this expedition?"
The Loki Familia expedition's purpose was clear: to explore unknown territories and clear new floors. There was no turning back.
He himself knew the strange person Ouranos mentioned would likely ambush them on the next floor.
Like the saying went: knowing there's a tiger on the mountain, yet heading there anyway.
"Yes, we must go." Finn licked his lips.
Adam had spoken true.
As Captain, bearing his deity's orders and the title of Braver, how could he retreat now? It would betray everything he stood for.
Besides, if this was no longer a cold current layer, they were about to enter territory even the Gods hadn't reached.
Unknown territory! If anything, that made them more eager to press on.
"Everyone — prepare your equipment. We depart in three minutes."
The order given, everyone complied.
Three minutes later, they entered the tunnel.
The tunnel stretched on endlessly, its length rivaling that of the 50th Floor, creating an impression of having departed the Dungeon entirely.
As they ventured deeper, everyone's expressions grew solemn. The temperature steadily rose — a stark contrast to the cold climate of the 58th Floor they'd left behind.
At last, they emerged from the tunnel. A flash of white light revealed a tropical rainforest sprawling before them.
The familiar sight left everyone bewildered.
"Is this... a dense forest?!"
"It looks like the Large Tree Labyrinth from the 24th Floor?"
"More like exactly the same."
Everyone stood astonished.
Even if this floor wasn't a cold current layer, logic dictated it shouldn't have replicated the forest landscape of the 24th Floor.
Yet the evidence lay before them. With no explanation at hand, they could only chalk it up to the Dungeon's mysterious nature.
"Ah, I know." As Captain, Finn acknowledged with a nod, then raised his right hand to command, "Everyone — advance!"
The party pressed forward, their expressions grave.
Something felt off about this floor's scenery, as if it had been hastily altered. The supposedly dense forest was marred by one or two conspicuous bare patches.
It seemed as though someone had rushed the work, leaving "textures unloaded" and exposing the raw ground underneath.
The group maintained heightened alertness, spreading out their formation while scanning for potential threats.
Adam purposefully positioned himself at the rear to protect their flank.
Yet after an hour of traversing the forest, they encountered neither monsters nor danger — a peculiar development that surprised everyone.
This couldn't be another safe zone like the 18th Floor; Adam was certain. Something extraordinary must be occurring here.
Instinctively, he activated this skill at maximum power, extending his awareness across the entire floor.
In his perception, this floor wasn't particularly large. However, there was an extremely unusual presence. It was located at the center of the floor, emanating a terrifying aura, with countless insect-type monsters prostrating around it.
He watched in horror as it used tentacles to grab an insect monster and devour it — including its magic stone!
"What is this?!" Adam's brows furrowed deeply.
In the tense atmosphere, even the slightest movement would draw attention, especially from someone as perceptive as him.
Finn spoke up, "What's wrong, Adam?"
"Special situation... I've discovered a strange monster at the center of the floor." As he spoke, Adam moved from the rear to lead them forward.
Everyone pressed their lips together and followed.
Half an hour later, they encountered the strange monster he had mentioned.
"What's going on with that thing?"
"It's a Titan Alm." As the familia's representative of knowledge, Riveria named the monster, "This creature must have formed by fusing with magic stones — it's an enhanced species. This is bad. It's consumed so many magic stones... We're in for a difficult battle."
Just as everyone readied themselves, the monster — which had been continuously devouring magic stones — suddenly stopped and let out a deafening roar.
"AAAAAH—! AAAAAH——!! AAAAAH———!!!"
The sound crashed over them like a tidal wave, growing sharper and more piercing, boring into their minds.
Before their eyes, cracks appeared on the upper body of what had been a bloated flower-like creature. It burst open instantly, revealing a female figure inside.
"AAAAAH—! AAAAAH——!!!! AAAAAH———!!!"
Without the shell to muffle it, the woman's voice grew even more powerful.
Even covering their ears provided no relief. Everyone present nearly collapsed from weakness, the sound comparable to a lethal ultrasonic wave.
At this moment, Adam stepped forward.
◈ EMM ⫸ Absolute Defense Magic ◈
A transparent barrier spread from beneath his feet, enveloping all expedition members and blocking out the piercing sonic waves.
Everyone's expressions relaxed. Seeing these people unaffected, the monster at the floor's center finally ceased its otherworldly cry.
The sound barrier automatically dissipated.
"You are—?!" Ais's eyes widened in disbelief as she stared at the monster.
"Aria, my beloved Aria." The monster whispered.
It fixed its gaze on Ais, speaking her name like a long-lost memory.
"You're a... Spirit?!" Ais exclaimed, her voice hoarse.
Everyone stood frozen in shock.
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